The blood bank at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi is continuously under pressure as it dispenses about 80 units of blood on a daily basis in the delivery of health care to patients.

The head of the Transfusion Medicine Unit (TMU), KATH, Dr Lesley Osei, said the unit also supplies blood through Zipline to the Asante Mampong enclave and the Bono and Bono East regions, among others.’

“I can tell you that our blood consumption is very high as we also give blood to five other hospitals in the region.

Usually, the trend is that if KATH does not have blood, the entire region is under pressure,” he said. 

She made the remarks during a blood donation exercise as part of this year’s World Blood Donor Day at the Osei Tutu Senior High School in Akropong in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District in the Ashanti Region.

Held on the theme: “One drop of humanity, give blood, save lives,” the exercise provided the opportunity for the students to donate blood to restock the blood bank at KATH.

As part of the exercise, a new double-decker refrigerator was donated to the school for their continuous participation in the exercise. 

She stated that by virtue of KATH’s location serving at least 12 regions in the country and being the biggest hospital in Kumasi, there was always pressure on the facility including the blood bank.

“We do not have the luxury of other bigger hospitals taking the pressure from us, resulting in constant pressure.

We even receive patients who come all the way from Burkina Faso and other neighbouring countries”.

She mentioned that statistics had shown that when there is enough blood at KATH, it leads to a reduction in maternal mortality, saying “because of our location, patients who are admitted and require blood must be attended to promptly.”

Dr Osei called on the public to voluntarily take part in blood donation exercises as blood was essential during emergency circumstances, especially for pregnant women during childbirth and patients with chronic diseases, among others.

“Just like a normal bank where one saves money to be withdrawn when the need arises, we also need to have blood in stock at all times so that when there is an emergency, health workers can fall on it,” she stated.

She said, “Since blood cannot be manufactured, there is always the need for people to donate to save lives.

As a society, we should not downplay blood donation exercise but rather embrace and get involved”.

The Assistant Headmaster, Administration, Osei Tutu SHS, Reverend Stephen Donyina, expressed gratitude to KATH for the gesture as it had strengthened the relationship between the school and KATH, which dates back to 2007.